Guide · Serbia

Driving a UK-registered car in Serbia: why it cannot be registered, how long you can keep UK plates, and what to do instead

Serbia is one of the few countries in Europe that refuses right-hand-drive cars outright, and it also bars residents from driving foreign-registered cars. Here is what the rules say and what you can do with a UK car.

Last reviewed September 2026

How long can I keep it on UK plates?

A person with permanent residence in Serbia may not drive a foreign-registered vehicle on Serbian roads at all. Non-residents — including Serbian citizens living abroad — may use a foreign-registered car for up to three months from entry, after which a temporary import procedure is needed.

Can a right-hand-drive car be registered?

Since 1 July 2012 Serbia does not register vehicles with the steering wheel on the right. Cars registered before that date kept their registration; anything else must have the steering converted to the left by an authorised workshop and pass homologation before it can be registered.

What registering it involves

Left-hand-drive conversion at an authorised workshop, with documentation.
Customs clearance as an import (through a customs agent), paying duty and VAT; the car must meet at least Euro 3.
Homologation and technical inspection (tehnički pregled).
Registration with the police (MUP): Serbian plates and registration.
Compulsory motor insurance.

What it costs

Customs duty according to the tariff and the car's origin, plus 20% VAT.
Steering conversion: workshop-dependent, commonly several thousand euros.
Homologation, inspection, translations, plates and fees.

Moving home? Transfer-of-residence relief

Serbia is outside the EU, so the EU transfer-of-residence relief does not apply. A returning resident may qualify for duty-free temporary import for a limited period with proof of residence abroad, but that does not make the car registrable while it is right-hand drive.

The alternative: sell it back to the UK

Selling the car back to the UK trade is the practical answer. We buy UK-registered, right-hand-drive cars in Serbia exactly as they stand, collect free by transporter from any address, handle the export and transit paperwork, and pay in pounds sterling on collection day — into your UK bank account if you kept one.

Get a free valuation for your car in Serbia

Free collection anywhere in Serbia, all export paperwork handled, paid in pounds sterling (£) on the day.

Value my UK car

Common questions

Can I keep the car on UK plates if I only visit Serbia?

As a non-resident, for up to three months from entry, provided the UK registration, MOT and insurance are valid. Residents cannot.

What if the MOT has expired?

Not a problem for us — the car moves on a transporter and does not need to be road-legal.

Do you collect outside Belgrade?

Yes — Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac and the towns between are all covered.

Rules, rates and thresholds change. This guide is a general summary as of September 2026, not legal or tax advice — check the current position with the registration authority or a customs agent before relying on it.

← Sell your UK car in Serbia